Discursive re-foundation of an intercultural abya yala: Morales’ discourse in the midst of crisis and the tradition of protest

Abstract

In January 2006, Evo Morales took over the affairs of state as the first indigenous president of Bolivia. His position enables him to define a norm anew and thus question not only the existing set of rules of discourse but also the traditional structure of society. Based on these observations and following Foucault's (Die Ordnung des Diskurses: Inauguralvorlesung am Collège de France, 2. Dezember 1970 (W. Seitter, Trans.). In: Foucault M, Die Ordnung des Diskurses (10, aumented edition with an essay by Ralf Konersmann). Fischer Taschenbuch, Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland, pp. 7-49, 2007) discourse analysis, this contribution looks at how Morales' ethnic-cultural background is expressed in his discourse and what effect this has on the discursive construction of intercultural togetherness. For this purpose, 1273 speeches, interviews, and press conferences which Morales gave between 2006 and 2016 were triangulated with data from ethnological field research and critical literature on the subject. Morales' early speeches as well as manifestations thereof in core legal documents showed that the president is portrayed as a representative of the indigenous peoples who are thereby rhetorically lifted out of marginalization. More recent utterances, though, which address protest movements against a legally controversial highway construction through a nature park and indigenous territory as well as a potentially unconstitutional re-election of Morales as president characterize him as both a leading figure and an impediment to the implementation of interculturality and a more substantial societal change.